The Assembly today was quite agitated thanks to a debate on the Rajiv Aaogyasri scheme launched by the YSR government. Chandrababu Naidu, the TDP chief and leader of the Opposition, alleged that the Aarogyasri scheme only benefits corporate hospitals, and that it is leading to the degradation of health services in goverment hospitals. Naidu claimed the government was not concerned about the lives of poor people.
Rajiv Aarogyasri is a community health insurance scheme piloted in April 2007, aimed at providing financial protection to families below the poverty line (BPL). All those with white ration cards are eligible for the scheme. The premium is borne by the state government, on behalf of the beneficiary. Once enrolled, beneficiaries get to avail themselves of free treatment at the scheme's network hospitals, of which there are over 300. These network hospitals are also required to conduct free health camps.